The echo of Baby and Xavier's clash hadn't fully faded when Collin clocked it.
He leaned against the wall, chewing on a glossed nail, eyes narrowing with interest.
"Oh," he murmured. "That's new."
Later, Collin practically floated over to Demari, dropping beside him with a dramatic sigh.
"You are not going to believe what I just witnessed," Collin said, waving his hand like he needed oxygen. "So—"
Daphne sighed without looking up.
"If this starts with 'so,' I already don't believe you."
"That's fair," Collin said calmly. "I lie recreationally."
Demari's eyes flicked up.
Small win.
He smiled. "If this is another one of your stories—"
"It's Xavier," Collin cut in. "Bumped into a girl. Stopped walking. Stopped breathing. Stopped being annoying for a solid three seconds."
He paused. "The tension? Thick. Like you could spread it on toast."
Daphne groaned. "Here we go again."
That got Demari's attention.
"A girl?" he asked.
"Yes," Collin said, rolling his eyes. "The newbie. Cute. Quiet. Definitely not his type—which somehow makes it worse."
Daphne leaned forward.
"So let me get this straight. You were tossing and turning, acting like the world was ending… because two creeps had a conversation?"
Collin laughed. "Trust me—whatever that was? It rattled him."
"You're exaggerating," Daphne said.
"Maybe," Collin replied smoothly. "But I don't miss chemistry. It's basically my love language."
Demari shifted, jaw tightening. He said nothing.
Collin noticed. Of course he did.
"Oh," Collin said softly, smiling. "That little face you're making? That's interesting."
Demari stood slowly.
"Xavier doesn't pause for nothing."
That was all he said.
Mia frowned. "You thinking of moving?"
Demari didn't answer.
His silence did.
Collin grinned, already satisfied.
"Mmm. Say less. I love when you pretend you're not about to ruin someone's peace."
Daphne's voice sharpened. "Don't say it."
A grin tugged at Collin's lips.
"Come on. I know you want to."
"If Xavier wants her," Demari said, smirking, "then I want her more."
"I'll sit back and watch," Collin said sweetly. "You play your little dominance game. Just make sure he knows."
Demari tilted his head. "Knows what?"
Collin smiled.
"That he lost."
"This is stupid," Daphne muttered.
"No, Daphne, babe," Collin said, clapping once.
"It's game time "
***†***†***
Dex noticed Daphne the way you notice a bruise you don't touch.
She was laughing with Dameri , head tilted, shoulders loose. It was easy for him to tell when she was comfortable. That was the problem.
Dex had been watching Daphne longer than he meant to.
Not openly. Never like that. Just enough to notice the way she tilted her head when she was thinking, or how her mouth curved when she was pretending not to care.
Then Jake walked in.
Dex looked away immediately.
Too late.
Jake leaned in close.
Dex shifted, pretending to scroll on his phone.
"You good?" Jake asked, glancing his way.
Dex didn't look up. "Yeah. Wasn't looking."
Jake glanced at him, brows knitting slightly. "Looking at what?"
Dex shrugged, casual, practiced. "Nothing worth my time."
It was a lie.
They all were.
Because he knew it — everyone did. Daphne was way out of his league, and to make matters worse,she was moroi and he was just a dhampir graudien.
And Dex had learned early that wanting something didn't mean reaching for it.
So he stayed where he was.
He told himself it didn't matter. That watching from a distance was safer.
That some feelings were better kept quiet — not because they were wrong, but because they had nowhere to go.